A Dreamline passenger bus was involved in a serious road accident in the early hours of Thursday at Magina Centre, near Kijabe, along the Nairobi–Naivasha highway.
According to preliminary reports, the crash occurred around 1am when the bus collided head-on with an oncoming transit lorry. The impact caused extensive damage to the front of the bus, with several passengers seated in the front section, including the driver, sustaining serious injuries.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene shortly after the crash, and efforts to rescue and evacuate the injured were immediately launched. The exact number of casualties is yet to be confirmed, though fears remain that there could be fatalities.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, with eyewitnesses reporting that the lorry appeared to veer off its lane before ramming into the bus.
At the time of publication of this article, it remains unclear whether there were casualties, although the driver sustained serious injuries and was aided by first responders to the scene.
Elsewhere, a separate early morning accident along the Tsavo stretch of the Nairobi–Mombasa Highway involving multiple trucks and a private car caused a major traffic snarl-up.
Following the incidents, the Long Distance and Truck Drivers Association issued a safety advisory: "Drivers, stop tailgating. When it rains, everything changes on the roads. Keep enough distance for braking."
Motorists have been urged to exercise extra caution, especially during the rainy season when visibility and road conditions worsen.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the government to rein in and act on the increasing number of accidents, which have been happening mostly at night.
The government has come under criticism for failing to take decisive action, as concerns grow over the rising number of road accidents linked to night travel. Stakeholders have called for a ban on night journeys, citing reports that many transport companies exploit the hours to overwork drivers, resulting in fatigue and, ultimately, deadly crashes.
Over the weekend, at least 10 people lost their lives in a tragic road accident along the Kisii-Kisumu highway at Chabera in Rachuonyo East Sub-County, Homa Bay County.
The accident, which occurred on the night of Sunday, December 14, involved two lorries and a private van that was travelling from Kakamega to Nyamira.
According to police, the victims were members of the same family returning home to Nyamaiya in Nyamira North after attending a wedding ceremony in Kakamega County.
Several others sustained injuries and were rushed to nearby medical facilities, including Agoro Sare Hospital and Matata Nursing Home in Oyugis town.
